Do You Remember Myrkr?
by JediMara77
Summary: What if Luke and Mara hadn't ended up together?  Inspired by the song "A Little Fall of Rain" from the musical Les Miserables.


**Title:** Do You Remember Myrkr?

**Characters:** Luke, Mara, mention of Callista

**Genre:** Angst, AU

**Timeframe:** NJOish?

**Thanks:** GL and TZ.

**Author's note:** Inspired by the song "A Little Fall of Rain" from the musical _Les Miserables_.

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Burnt leaves crackled under Mara Jade's feet as she dashed through the forest, her lightsaber swinging uselessly by her side. Blaster bolts flew past her but she paid them no mind, concentrating only on the path in front of her. The base was close now.

Mara dodged the enemy fire to the best of her ability, using the Force as she had been taught to suppress the pain burning through her body. She kept running, not slowing down even as the forest began to clear and she saw the base looming in front of her. She smiled, knowing who was there, waiting for her. Knowing that she would complete her mission as she had promised.

Lifting her lightsaber in salute, she heard the roof guards call out to raise the shield. As soon as Mara crossed the invisible threshold, the pinkish barrier reappeared behind her, stopping the blaster bolts that continued towards her. There were loud screams and noises as the snipers began to take out her pursuing enemies. A few Knights rushed out of the base, but Mara didn't stop running, not even when she got inside.

Finally, as she burst into the command center, she allowed herself to stop. She stood in the middle of the room, breathing heavily as she watched the base commander give orders to his soldiers in the field.

Sensing her presence, he motioned for his second to take command. He turned around, deep concern etched on the lines of his face. She quickly snapped a salute, even though it wasn't necessary, and he returned it, before rushing to her. "What are you doing here, Mara? It's bad out there! Your orders were to stay at the other base!"

"The mission was successful, Master Skywalker," she told him, trying not to grimace in pain. She reached under her tunic and pulled out a small, nerf-hide pouch. Inside was a datachip, which she handed to her master. "Callista asked me to return this to you."

Luke looked up sharply from the chip in his hand. "Is she okay?"

Mara nodded. "They're fine. They've lost less Knights than we have. She is a good commander."

Her master gave a relieved sigh. "I cannot thank you enough for doing this, Mara. I knew I could trust you." He pulled her into a hug, but immediately recoiled. "…Mara?"

She couldn't fight it anymore. She could feel her face paling, her muscles turning weak. As he gripped her arms, she looked up into Luke's blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Master."

Then she collapsed onto the floor.

"Mara! Mara!" Luke screamed, pulling back her cloak to reveal a growing bloodstain on her Jedi robes. "Oh gods, Mara—somebody get a medic in here, quickly!" Even as he yelled, he placed his hands on Mara's abdomen, reaching out into the Force for healing powers. But Mara pushed him away.

"It's too late." She pulled back the rest of the cloak, revealing the contusions where she had slammed her head during the crash landing, the deep gash on her leg, and the other blaster wound on her hip. Her ship had been shot down too far from the base. It had taken her too long to run through the forest. "I've failed you, Master."

"No Mara, don't you say that! You've _never_ failed me."

Her eyes were fluttering now, and she felt something wet upon her cheek. Was it tears? She couldn't remember the last time she had cried. Then she looked up. Those weren't her tears. Her master was crying. For _her._

She smiled and whispered, "It's alright, Master. I don't feel any pain." Just then, a medic burst into the room. Mara shook her head. "Send them away. Please."

"I can't…"

"Please, Master. I just want to be with you."

"Mara…"

She met his gaze, and called him by the name she hadn't used in many years. "Luke. Please."

He hung his head in anguish, tears still falling down his face, but he respected her wishes; with a flick of his wrist, he dismissed everyone else in the room, until they were alone. "I can still heal you Mara," he urged her, "if you'd just let me—"

"No. Nothing can hurt me anymore." The world was starting to spin around her, and she struggled to keep her eyes open. They were so heavy…she just wanted to sleep. "Just stay with me."

He did, pulling her into a warm, gentle embrace. She closed her eyes, and now she did cry—not out of pain, but out of sheer happiness. It was exactly as she had imagined. Luke brushed away her tears, and she reached out to clasp his hand. "I won't leave you, Mara," he whispered.

"That's all I need to know." She could hear her breathing growing ragged, could no longer ignore the pain coursing through her veins. She reached out into the Force for strength, but it was just too much. She collapsed into Luke's arms, and old memories began to overtake her. Memories of other forests, from times long past. "Do you remember Myrkr?" she asked, knowing that she sounded delusional. Perhaps she was.

"Yes," Luke said, a smile in his voice, even now. "How could I forget?"

And through her pain, she smiled back. "I was so mad when you escaped, you know. But not at you. I was mad at myself, for letting you. I thought I was better than you." She chuckled softly. "I guess you showed me."

"You proved yourself at Wayland," he said.

"Because of you, Master. You helped me finally break free. And then you invited me to be a Jedi…you always had faith in me. I remember all those days and nights of training. I remember the first time I beat you in a duel. I was so happy."

They grew quiet. Mara could feel Luke trying to ease her pain through the Force. She took a deep breath, gathering up her courage to say what had haunted her for many years. "I loved you even on Myrkr, you know," she admitted softly. "I was too stubborn to say anything."

She could feel Luke shake his head against her body. "I'm _so_ sorry, Mara…I wish things could have been different—"

"No, you don't," she interrupted him. "But that's alright, Master. You are happy, and I am glad." Glancing up, she met her master's deep blue eyes for one last time. "And I am glad to be with you now."

Luke gently placed his hand on her cheek. "I am, too."

She felt herself slipping away, and Luke tightened his grasp on her in return. Then, feeling something hard shoved against his stomach, he pulled away slightly.

It was her lightsaber.

"This belongs to you again," she whispered.

"_No,_ Mara. This is yours. I gave it to you—"

"Exactly, Master—you gave it to me, to do as I pleased. And now I am giving it back to you. Give it to your son." Pulling him down to her, she reached up and placed her hands on either side of his face. "Besides, you gave me something else that day—a second chance. And _that_ I can take with me."

They stared at each other for a long moment…and as she gasped her last breath, Mara gently brushed her lips against his.

He didn't push her away. He kissed her back with all of his care and affection, knowing that his one kiss could take away all her pain and anguish.

When he finally pulled away, her eyes were closed again.

But she was still smiling.


End file.
